Ministry
"Ministry"
What is ministry? I've been a struggling "Christian" for a few years now, and I've been a part of several different "ministries" on campus and at church. I've been on "outreach" groups where our purpose is to go out and "share our faith" - which means tell people about our "story" and about Jesus Christ.
Now I used to go out with Campus Crusade for Christ and we would go out with something called TRACTS which are basically a tiny pamphlet containing 4 or 5 "essential" Christian truths that we would go take and try to initiate conversations with people on campus and ask them questions and read these tracts to them. Our purpose or aim was to show that we are a broken / sinful people and that there is a Savior who came to this Earth to save us from our sins. Then we would ask if they would like to receive this "free gift".
Looking back, I felt like a Christian salesman - trying to sale Christianity. I was new in "faith" in God, and this was something we were supposed to do while in CRU. I had no real idea what I was doing, and in fact I was still struggling with this idea of Christianity, struggling with pornography, struggling with relationships, my parents, etc... Struggling with a lot of things internally.
But then I was to go out and teach others about this "saving grace" and about God and Jesus, but here I was still struggling with all of these things. I was a hypocrite (as maybe we all are).
2 years later, I am no longer involved with Campus Crusade for Christ - not jaded towards it, but God has taken me on a different path. God has blessed me with a nice house (rented, of course), a good job, I'm leading a school organization, and plenty of school work (but I wouldn't call that last one a blessing).
One really cool thing that has happened has been our involvement hanging out with some wonderful people who happen not to have homes. Many people like to simply label them homeless people and put them into a nice little category... But I have learned a lot about "ministry" from talking with these guys / girls. I don't preach to them, I don't have to share with them any Christian tracts about God. No, I simply listen to them and care for them. I ask questions digging into their lives BECAUSE I am genuinely interested. Not because I have an agenda (although maybe I started with one). It is AMAZING to see how people respond to just by having someone else deeply listening to them, their stories, and their struggles. To "laugh with them when they laugh, and be sad with them when they are sad". One guy I was speaking with a couple weeks ago starting sobbing when we were talking. As I was comforting him he said, "You know, I just don't have any one who really listens to me and cares for me" and that it was so good just to have someone listen.
That to me is "ministry". It is not that mysterious. It is not that complex. I don't have to preach to anyone. I just listen and love them. I guess you could call it, showing Gods love. I mean I know I am just a broken person who is also amazingly in need of God's love, and I try to humbly and feebly give what is given to me. Now I don't think it is wrong to Preach. And in fact, I believe that is an area I need growth in. To have the courage to intentionally initiate those conversations about God / Jesus. But I think the better and best thing is to demonstrate to them God's love for them. Not just talk about it. You can do both, and that is probably better. But in my experience people want to be "KNOWN" first. It takes time to build up those kinds of relationships. Conversations about God come up when you are listening to someones needs. People are willing to listen when they are being listened to and have an understanding of a need for something "higher than themselves". I know I respond to someone who comes to me and shows genuine interest and care for me. Just like anyone. There is that famous adage, "People don't care what you know, until they know you care."
Ministry is empathetic, deep and genuine listening and caring for the person. As you are doing this you get to know them, you find out their needs and see how you can help them. You can't do everything for them, nor should you. But just being there and being present is one of the most powerful things. Some people don't get that very often.
What is ministry? I've been a struggling "Christian" for a few years now, and I've been a part of several different "ministries" on campus and at church. I've been on "outreach" groups where our purpose is to go out and "share our faith" - which means tell people about our "story" and about Jesus Christ.
Now I used to go out with Campus Crusade for Christ and we would go out with something called TRACTS which are basically a tiny pamphlet containing 4 or 5 "essential" Christian truths that we would go take and try to initiate conversations with people on campus and ask them questions and read these tracts to them. Our purpose or aim was to show that we are a broken / sinful people and that there is a Savior who came to this Earth to save us from our sins. Then we would ask if they would like to receive this "free gift".
Looking back, I felt like a Christian salesman - trying to sale Christianity. I was new in "faith" in God, and this was something we were supposed to do while in CRU. I had no real idea what I was doing, and in fact I was still struggling with this idea of Christianity, struggling with pornography, struggling with relationships, my parents, etc... Struggling with a lot of things internally.
But then I was to go out and teach others about this "saving grace" and about God and Jesus, but here I was still struggling with all of these things. I was a hypocrite (as maybe we all are).
2 years later, I am no longer involved with Campus Crusade for Christ - not jaded towards it, but God has taken me on a different path. God has blessed me with a nice house (rented, of course), a good job, I'm leading a school organization, and plenty of school work (but I wouldn't call that last one a blessing).
One really cool thing that has happened has been our involvement hanging out with some wonderful people who happen not to have homes. Many people like to simply label them homeless people and put them into a nice little category... But I have learned a lot about "ministry" from talking with these guys / girls. I don't preach to them, I don't have to share with them any Christian tracts about God. No, I simply listen to them and care for them. I ask questions digging into their lives BECAUSE I am genuinely interested. Not because I have an agenda (although maybe I started with one). It is AMAZING to see how people respond to just by having someone else deeply listening to them, their stories, and their struggles. To "laugh with them when they laugh, and be sad with them when they are sad". One guy I was speaking with a couple weeks ago starting sobbing when we were talking. As I was comforting him he said, "You know, I just don't have any one who really listens to me and cares for me" and that it was so good just to have someone listen.
That to me is "ministry". It is not that mysterious. It is not that complex. I don't have to preach to anyone. I just listen and love them. I guess you could call it, showing Gods love. I mean I know I am just a broken person who is also amazingly in need of God's love, and I try to humbly and feebly give what is given to me. Now I don't think it is wrong to Preach. And in fact, I believe that is an area I need growth in. To have the courage to intentionally initiate those conversations about God / Jesus. But I think the better and best thing is to demonstrate to them God's love for them. Not just talk about it. You can do both, and that is probably better. But in my experience people want to be "KNOWN" first. It takes time to build up those kinds of relationships. Conversations about God come up when you are listening to someones needs. People are willing to listen when they are being listened to and have an understanding of a need for something "higher than themselves". I know I respond to someone who comes to me and shows genuine interest and care for me. Just like anyone. There is that famous adage, "People don't care what you know, until they know you care."
Ministry is empathetic, deep and genuine listening and caring for the person. As you are doing this you get to know them, you find out their needs and see how you can help them. You can't do everything for them, nor should you. But just being there and being present is one of the most powerful things. Some people don't get that very often.
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